Peshawar -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taliban fighters from Pakistan say they have united with al Qaeda forces in Syria to fight the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad .

The commander of the Pakistan Taliban , Abdul Rashid Abbasi , has told CNN that the first batch of fighters has arrived in Syria and established a command and control center to launch operational activities alongside Syrian rebel fighters . Abbasi , a close associate of Pakistan Taliban head Hakeemullah Mehsud , told CNN that 120 fighters are already in Syria .

The Taliban commander went on to say that another batch of fighters made up of 150 men will arrive in Syria this week .

`` We shall be sending more volunteers , but can not give exact numbers at this moment , but we will provide whatever support is needed by our Syrian brothers , '' Abbasi told CNN .

CNN is unable to independently confirm that members of the Pakistan Taliban are inside Syria . CNN journalists have previously been inside Syria and seen foreign fighters participate in the country 's civil war , which sprang from unrest sparked in the spring of 2011 .

Abbasi said the fighters were sent after the Pakistan Taliban received a request from the al Qaeda operational commander in Syria , Abu Omar Baghdadi .

Pakistan Taliban fighters will be under the command and control structure of al Qaeda in Syria , as it is leading the operation , he said .

The Pakistan Taliban said it has also asked its local chapters in the Mohmand , Bajaur , Khyber , Orakzai and Waziristan agencies to recruit fresh fighters who are willing to go on their mission in Syria . The Pakistan Taliban says many young men are registering to go on their first foreign mission .

But the Pakistan Taliban said it will remain based in Pakistan .

`` We have lots of fighters here and our central command will be operating from here , so there is no reason to stop operations in Pakistan , '' Abbasi said . `` They will go on as usual . ''

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Zahir Shah Sherazi reported for CNN from Peshawar , and CNN 's Saima Mohsin reported from Islamabad .

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First batch of fighters has arrived , says Pakistan Taliban commander

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Next batch of 150 will arrive next week , commander says

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Taliban commander : Al Qaeda in Syria will command fighters